Pirates vs. Nationals Game Delayed by Rain

Second game of four-game series at PNC Park postponed due to thunderstorms and heavy rain

Apr. 14, 2026 at 10:10pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game in progress, with the field, players, and stadium rendered in sharp, overlapping planes of color and shape, conveying the disruption and uncertainty of a rain delay.A rain delay forces the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals to pause their series, with the grounds crew working to ready the field for play.Today in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals game on April 14, 2026 has been delayed due to inclement weather. Heavy rain and thunderstorms in the Pittsburgh area soaked the field, particularly the bullpen and warning track, making the playing conditions unfit for the start of the game. The teams are waiting for the weather to clear and the field to be properly treated before resuming play.

Why it matters

Rain delays are a common occurrence in baseball, but they can significantly impact the flow of a series and force teams to adjust their pitching rotations. This delay comes after the Pirates won the series opener 16-5, giving them momentum heading into the rest of the matchup.

The details

The game was originally scheduled to start at 6:40 pm local time, but the rain delay pushed the first pitch back by at least 30 minutes to an hour. The Pirates' grounds crew is working to get the field ready for play, with no further rain expected in the forecast. This is the second rain delay of the season for the Pirates, who had 19 delays and one cancellation in 2025.

  • The rain and thunderstorms hit the Pittsburgh area about 2 hours before the scheduled first pitch.
  • The game was originally scheduled to start at 6:40 pm local time on April 14, 2026.

The players

Pittsburgh Pirates

The home team, who won the series opener 16-5 behind a strong offensive performance.

Washington Nationals

The visiting team, looking to even the series after the lopsided loss in the first game.

Matt Brown

The Pittsburgh Pirates grounds crew chief, who is working with the umpires to get the field ready for play.

Mark Wegner

The MLB umpire crew chief, overseeing the delay and field preparations.

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What’s next

The Pirates will provide updates on when the game is expected to resume play once the field conditions are deemed acceptable by the umpires.

The takeaway

Rain delays are an unavoidable part of baseball, but the Pirates will look to maintain their momentum from the series opener once the game is able to resume. The grounds crew and umpires are working quickly to get the field ready, with the goal of minimizing the disruption to the series schedule.